If reputations are hard enough to live up to, for Mayport Titus they are almost impossible to live down to, even when not his own. Like those his father, accused of being a glorified adventurer while in fact he has been nothing more than a crazy fool looking for his next fortune.

Where the winds blow Joseph Thiervy is happy to follow, though there has always been one port he has called home, which is not listed on any map. No matter how far and wide he flees, he knows one particular man will always welcome him back.

Striking out on his own is the most terrifying and exhilarating thing Mayport has ever done. Not that he has no choice, if he ever wants to be independent. His father having left unconscionable messes in his wake, the further Mayport travels the worse it gets, but at least he has Thiervy by his side. Together, they are remarkably ingenious and inventive trying to reestablish cacao as a ready commodity. Even more, they discover a wealth far beyond any monetary value. Still their greatest hurdle is yet to come, a place that could make or break everything they have struggled so hard to achieve.

The adventure is non-stop for Mayport and Joseph. With everything from soaring ships to bean smuggling, there is never a dull moment. In the midst of it all, there is also an epic love story between two young men going against every societal standard to be together. I love how they face the odds together, doing so with passion and honesty. The speech patterns are authentic to the turn of the century, and though it can be a bit confusing at times, it lends an authentic feel to the characters and time period.